Neal scores winner to force Game 7

Posted on April 26, 2016

A series that began with great offensive
flash for first-line Predators forward James Neal had turned into a drag for
the last few games.

Neal scored his first goal of this Western
Conference quarterfinal series just 35 seconds into the opening game against
Anaheim. He was a terror for the rest of that contest as well, piling up nine
shots on goal in a Nashville win.

But that was the last point Neal had posted
through the first five games, one of the reasons the Predators trailed 3-2
heading into Game 6 on Wednesday.

With the Predators facing elimination, Neal
— a 31-goal scorer during the regular season — responded just the way his team
hoped, notching the game-winning goal and adding an assist on the clincher as
Nashville downed the Ducks 3-1.